Photonic systems are based on the generation, manipulation and/or detection of light much in the way electronic systems are based on generation, manipulation and/or detection of electricity. Photonic systems can also be based on the generation, manipulation and/or detection of both light and electricity, in which case they are sometimes referred to as opto-electronic systems.
A key component of photonic systems is an OE-PCB. The OE-PCB typically includes optical waveguides to conduct light much in the way conventional electrical-based PCBs use wiring to conduct electricity. The OE-PCB also includes electrical wires and components usually associated with conventional electrical-based PCBs. The OE-PCB can also include optical components such light emitters, light detectors, light-redirecting elements, optical waveguides, filters, etc.
OE-PCBs can be formed by adding optical functionality to an electrical-based PCB (hereinafter, just PCB). This includes among other things defining waveguides and optical components on substrates and then incorporating the substrates into the PCB to form the OE-PCB. To date this has proven to be relatively complex and costly due in large measure to the glass substrates not being sufficiently compatible with standard PCB fabrication and assembly techniques. The result has been that the fabrication of the optical components of the OE-PCB have been divorced from the PCB fabrication process and the use of existing PCB fabrication methods and tools. This has resulted in manufacturing inefficiencies, fabrication complexity, relatively low yield and high cost for OE-PCBs.